Malaysia could be hours away from reclaiming its place on the Formula 1 calendar, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirming that an official announcement will be made on Sunday. The government has been in active discussions with Liberty Media, the sport’s commercial rights holder, over a potential replacement race at the Sepang International Circuit, following the collapse of this season’s Middle Eastern swing.

The original 24-race schedule was torn apart by the military conflict between the United States and Iran, which forced the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix in April. A vacant slot between the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on 26 September and Singapore’s race on 11 October had raised hopes of a rescheduled Bahrain event, but ongoing instability in the region has again cast doubt, leaving the sport scrambling for alternatives. Sepang, with its FIA Grade 1 licence and experience hosting 19 consecutive races from 1999 to 2017, emerged as a leading candidate alongside Portugal’s Portimão circuit.

Viewed from Kuala Lumpur, the prospect of a return has been met with cautious optimism. Youth and Sports Minister Mohammed Taufiq Johari stated on Friday that the government had received “preliminary information regarding the possibility” and was “actively conducting discussions and assessing the proposal”. State oil company Petronas, a long-time Mercedes team partner, deferred the decision to the ministry but signalled its willingness to explore opportunities aligned with its strategic priorities. Former Sepang chief executive Razlan Razali urged the government to seize the moment, noting that the surge in F1’s global popularity—fuelled partly by the Netflix series Drive to Survive—had transformed the sport’s fanbase and made a one-off event commercially viable if hosting fees were reasonable.

Logistically, the circuit is regarded as ready. Razali and Malaysia’s only F1 driver, Alex Yoong, both highlighted Sepang’s modern infrastructure and its continued use for MotoGP, though they stressed that ticket prices must be kept affordable to fill grandstands on short notice. “Liberty Media would also want to see the grandstands filled,” Razali said. With barely a month to promote the race if it slots in before or after Singapore, the economics of a standalone event remain delicate.

Sunday’s announcement will determine whether Malaysia can capitalise on a rare opportunity to reintroduce Formula 1 to Southeast Asia outside of Singapore. A positive decision would add stability to a calendar shaken by geopolitical unrest, with the sport requiring a minimum of 22 races to meet contractual obligations.